Psychological Effects of Binge-Watching

                                              Psychological Effects of Binge-Watching

Binge watching is also known as binge-viewing or marathon-viewing .Binge-watching episodes of your favourite shows does no favour for your brain.

To explain it in a simple language, when you watch a TV show continuously for long hours, forgetting about all the other work, it is called binge-watching.Spending hours watching a single TV show is a popular pastime for many people, but it can also be harmful to your health. Before you curl up for your next binge, here are three important things you should know.

Binge Watching Is Like a Drug

When you’re engaged in an activity that you enjoy, your brain produces dopamine — a chemical that promotes feeling of pleasure, excitement and happiness. The release of dopamine makes us feel good .Brain craves more and more as long as you continue to binge, your brain produces dopamine.

“Our behaviours when repeated over time, can become actual neural patterns and habits that are hard to break or change” says researchers.

As a result, binge viewing can adversely affect your relationships, goals and commitments. You may find difficult controlling how much time you spend watching TV, or you may find that you need to continually increase the time you spend watching TV for experiencing the same degree of satisfaction. You may become defensive when asked to stop, and you may even start lying to cover up your binge viewing.

Binge Watching Isolates You

Binge watching possibly disconnect from other humans. With multiple ways to view a show, it’s easy to retreat to your corner of the house and zone out for hours at a time.

Binge Watching Interferes with Your sleep

                                     

Tips for Managing Binge Watching

•             Limit yourself to a certain (small) number of episodes, like one or two at a time. When you’ve reached your limit, turn off the device and move on to something else.

•             Set a time limit for watching. Use a timer for accountability.

•             Balancing TV-viewing with other activities, such as physical exercise, seeing friends, reading or taking up a hobby.

•             Keeping lights turned on in the viewing area and your house so you don’t lose sense of time.

•             Making it a social thing and invite a friend, spouse or kids to watch with you.

•             Chatting with fellow fans about the characters, plot and cliffhangers.

By following these guidelines, you can create lasting healthy habits and still enjoy the occasional binge-watching session without hurting your brain.